The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-12-02

The Great Building ~ Brsd<~psrs. Csan-.
where she Earnuns and BnIIy show was
Stored. Burned With the Valuable Mem
ag<rte. Iraln<d Horses. f.raphernaiLa.
Esc--Loeks Like Inceadi.ri>m-
BRIDcEPoEr. Conn, NOV. 3l-Ths main
uuilding q Barnun 4 Baily's '-Grcatest
SHOW On Earth" Was entirely destroyed
BY fire last evening About haltpast ten
O'Clock m alarm was sounded. quickly
followed BY : general ALARM and thous-
ands q people were drawn 20 the spot In
less than thirty minutes the big building.
which Was 61sx3o) fee. and two stories in
height was entirely consumed The nrst
intimation Of the IRE was given BY the
roaring AZ the lions and tigers. which
seemed % naIizs the inpeniing danger.
Next the elephants struggled I'm their
chains but in IN Incredibly short time the
flames swept from one end Of the hinge
structure 70 the other There were six
vatchmen employed On the premises, bit
they we're helpless 20 check the flames
One Of the men was In the horse stable
uhen his lantern exploded, i<niting the
hay and straw Five II the watchmen
have reported Int one i miss
in<- The upper portion Of tie
bniidinz was filled with hay and AL the
parzphernalia Of the great show Before
the first alarm ceased sounding the whole
building was enveiopei in fire. ard no ons
dared to approach the building. being
fearful Of the craxei animals Three eie-
plants were burned up and thirty-six
broke from their fastsnings and dashed
through the lsides of the burning build
ing Their roars and frrmpstings and
sounds Of torment were terrific
Six elephants and : large African
hippoporam1s rushed about the streetx
presenting . s,cksnins appearance Their
sides were burned and great pieces Of
nssh : foot square fsll on Thirty els-
plants and one large lion made their e.
cane and have started on across country
toward Fairfield and Eastoa- Great alarm
has selzed many residents Of the west end
and they have taken refuge within their
houses With windows barred William
Newman. the elephant-trainer, i out Of
town and the keepers were not able IN the
excitement % herd the frightened AMI
maix
In the h1rse-roon were al the ring an
finals, trained stations, ponies, etc These
we're AL burned In the upper rooms were
the tents poles seats, harness, etc. for
the entire show, and these were all de-
s-roy@d- In the cat room we're the birds,
monkeys, three rhinocerOses. hyenas,
tigers. lions and all the menagerie. which
fell . prey % the flames So rapidly did
the flames leap across The main b1ildinz
that the 6remcn made no attempt % save
r. but turned their streams upon the
chariot buildings and car-shedz, which
they succeeded in saving, but The
heat was 80 intense that this
was accomplished With the greatest din
Guilty The total loss - estimated q <sDo,-
90, upon which there Vas but $1O0,00c
insurance Before the b1iIding went down
Baruum's agents were busy making
arrangements for obtaining . new lot q
attractions 70 supply the loss Ir.
BrothwelI, Barnum's Bridxepoint agent,
stated that the show building would b
rebuilt, but not in Bridgeport The great
show woalt probably 90 % Jersey City.
where better railroad facilities could b
had
Later investigations show that the
Waterman in making his rounds discov-
ered the fire and started 70 give the alarm,
when some unknown person hit him On
the head with blunt instrument, Telling
him 20 the ground and cutting number
Of severe rashes In his bead He stag
rered 20 his feet and gave the alarm,
enabling the other rstchmen in the build
ing,whc were preparing for ked, TO escape